The Spanish media impresario Jaume Roures branches out

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Jaume Roures began his career as a political activist.CreditJordi Salas

By Stephen Heyman

Dec. 5, 2016

A powerful media impresario and self-identified Marxist, Jaume Roures is one of the most colorful figures in the Spanish television and film world. He is a managing partner of the Barcelona-based conglomerate Mediapro, and is best known outside of Spain as the producer of several Woody Allen films set in Europe, including “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” and “Midnight in Paris.” (Last year, he proposed building a museum in Barcelona dedicated to the American director’s oeuvre, but that project was abandoned after one of the possible locations — Pablo Picasso’s former art school — rankled some city residents.)

Mr. Roures, 66, began his career as a political activist and was arrested more than once during Franco’s regime. He proudly wears his left-wing beliefs on his sleeve and continues to produce politically engaged cinema, from Oliver Stone’s 2003 film about Fidel Castro (“Comandante”) to a slick new documentary by the Spanish auteur Fernando León de Aranoa about the meteoric rise of the populist, anti-austerity party Podemos.

He is also increasingly branching out into international productions. His company is co-producing with HBO “The Young Pope,” the TV series by the Italian filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino starring Jude Law and Diane Keaton. He is also one of the producers of “Sergio and Sergei,” a drama to be released next year partially set on the Russian space station Mir that is reportedly the first Cuban/American co-production of a feature film in 60 years.

Below are excerpts from a conversation with Mr. Roures.

Q. You are often described as a Marxist and a “media magnate,” and in a recent interview you suggested that you see no contradiction between your politics and your role as a businessman, explaining that “I read ‘The Communist Manifesto’ and it does not say anywhere that people have to be poor.” How do your political beliefs influence your work today?

A. I could tell reporters till I’m blue in the face that I do not consider myself a “media magnate,” I’m just a film producer, but they just can’t come to grips with it. I always respond with another question, “Would you ask a right-wing, conservative or Catholic businessman, how their political beliefs influence their business decisions?” The truth is, they are rarely asked this question. Contradiction between my principles and my business success? Zero, if my business activities do not pervert my principles. And I believe that they do not, in fact I am sure they don’t.

Q. You’ve had a varied career — as a journalist, a political activist, a film and television producer, a media entrepreneur. But one of your first jobs was working as a typesetter. Can you share a memory from this time of your life?

A. What I can tell you is what I learned very early on is that, regardless of what you are doing, you have to do it well, no matter how insignificant the task is. We have a saying here in Catalonia, “la feina ben feta no te fronteres,” which translates into English as “a job well done knows no frontiers.” And I would add that shoddy work knows no future.

Q. As a young man, you also became involved in radical politics. What led you out of political activism and into the world of media?

A. The first thing one must do is to situate oneself in the context of the struggle against the dictatorship of Franco, a dictator who was widely supported by U.S. governments. At that time, the struggle for freedom, democracy, human rights were all classified as radical struggle or terrorism. What I did do, and I would do it again, was fight for prisoners’ rights. And to answer your question, I have never abandoned political activism if by political activism we mean having principles and acting accordingly, defending rights — and not being a card-carrying member of a political organization.

Q. Spain remains a politically fractious country comprised of different cultural groups, some of which are advocating for their independence. Do you think this reality is reflected in the TV and film landscape or is Spanish culture more national, more unified, than its politics?

A. Unfortunately, Spanish culture prevails in the media (movies, TV), ignoring the fact that there are other nations in Spain with ancient cultures such as Catalan. I am among those who believe that diversity enriches. Uniformity is not good in any field, and much less so in the realm of culture.

Q. I read that in addition to producing several Woody Allen films (including “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”) you are also a friend of the American director. What were your first impressions of the man and how did they differ from his cinematic persona?

A. In reality, we actually only met for the first time during the production of “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.” Regarding the man himself, I can only say that he is a thoroughbred professional like none other I have ever met. And the truth is that he somewhat resembles his other self that comes out in his films. Maybe a little less melodramatic.

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page A18 of the New York edition with the headline: A Spanish media impresario branches out. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe